Commentary on the news, culture, sports and current events of sub-Saharan Africa from someone who's lived there.

The author served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa.

All essays are available for re-print, with the explicit permission of the author. Contact him at mofycbsj @ yahoo.com

Monday, January 17, 2005

Don't forget other emergencies: WFP

With international focus on the victims of the south Asian tsunami, the UN's World Food Program ('The World's Largest Humanitarian Organization,' according to its website) asks donors not to forget about other crises equally meriting attention.

The WFP urged donors not to forget 1.5 million survivors of recent conflicts in West Africa who are still heavily dependent on food aid.

WFP said in a statement that it needed US$155 million this year to feed nearly a million people in Liberia and over 500,000 people in neighbouring Guinea and Sierra Leone.

It added that it had only received about 10% of that goal and has been forced to slash food handouts as a result.

The WFP's West Africa spokesman warned that disruption of food aid to Liberia could endanger peace and stability in the country, which only emerged from 14 years of civil war in 2003.

"You still have lots of ex-combatants there and they can quickly pick up a gun if they get hungry," he said.

Individuals can donate as well to help the WFP, as I just noticed. Click here to find out how.

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About Me

The author is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in upstate New York. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Guinea (Conakry), West Africa, in the mid-90s. He is also fluent in French.
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L'auteur est un journaliste et écrivain qui habite le nord de l'Etat de New York. Il fut volontaire professeur de maths au sein du Corps de la Paix américain; il serva en République de Guinée (Conakry) en Afrique de l'Ouest dans les années 90.